Belle
by writer2000z
Summary: AU OCC Follow a young woman as she learns about being a mutant and how she changes the world without knowing.
1. Chapter 1

-1Belle

Belle is the name of a young woman with a dangerous weapon but you can't tell by looking at her. She is very lovely with her hair so black its' blue and eyes of such a pure blue they seem bottomless. Her figure is curvy yet not too curvy. She is tall yet not too tall. Her voice is clear as a bell and her singing voice can send you into realms you can't reach on your own. She is not like most humans; in fact most humans avoid her. There are some humans who love to be around her, but not many. Belle's story is very strange; it starts when she's nothing more then a teen. Try to learn from Belle's story.

In a quiet house in a quiet town lives a young woman who is not quite normal. Her parents named her Catherine when she was born. She grew like all kids grow. And soon she became a teenager. Her parents knew she would be special from the time she was born. As a child her singing voice was clear as a bell. Her parents didn't do the whole childhood fame thing with her, so she got to be a normal kid. She was happy for the most part, but she felt something was wrong or missing. She had no idea her voice would change. She wasn't someone you would think of as dangerous. She loved to sing, and often sang alone in the woods.

She was singing in the woods when it happened. She destroyed a huge rock in front of her without knowing why or how. She stopped singing as soon as it happened. She spoke out loud to herself to try to figure out what was going on. Every time one of her words sounded musical something in front of her was destroyed. She stopped talking and ran home very near tears.

She was afraid to tell her parents about what happened because she didn't know how they would react. They had heard stories on the news about people who could do things normal people couldn't and her parents didn't like it. She knew for a fact her father didn't like it but she didn't know about her mother.

She didn't know she had an uncle on her mother's side who was like that. Her mother never talked about him because of her father. Her mother knew her daughter might be like her uncle and so she kept a very close eye on her. She often followed her into the woods and she followed her daughter on that fateful day. She knew what was wrong with her daughter but she couldn't tell her. So she did what she could, she called her brother. She told her husband their daughter had a sore throat. That solved the problem of talking and singing very nicely.

Her father was good man but he just didn't like people who were mutants. He had no idea his brother-in-law was a mutant. He had no idea there was a very good chance his daughter would be a mutant. So when his wife told him his little angel had a sore throat he saw nothing wrong with it. He told his wife if it didn't clear up in a week or two, he was going to take her to the doctor.

His daughter had heard the lie her mother had told him and wondered why her mother lied to him. Her mother saw her on the stairs and told her she would come up and talk to her in just a little bit. And she was true to her word, in just a little bit she came up to talk to her daughter. She had to explain to her daughter just why she wasn't quite normal.

"Sweetheart, would you set down on your bed? I need to tell you something." her mother said calmly. "You know what happened in the woods today, I thought something might happen like this. I already called your uncle and he is going to pick you up and take care of you until you can control this. Your uncle can help you with this because he is a mutant, just like you are. He and I both knew there was a good chance you would take after him and so he stayed near by. If he can't help you through this then he might know someone who can."

Catherine had no clue her father was by her door. He was shocked when he heard what her mother told her. He wondered why she had never told him, but then he thought about what he had said about those who were mutants. What he had said lead his wife and daughter to believe he hated those who were mutants when in fact he pitied them. He knew there was no way they would ever have an easy life. They would be feared and hated wherever they went.

Catherine's uncle lived in the next town. He was out when his sister called, but she knew he would come. When he got home he saw he had a message. It turned out to be from his sister. It had been a while since he had heard from her so he thought he would hear what she had to say while he put up the food he bought. "Logan, I need to tell you something. You know how I'm normal but we always believed my daughter might not be. Well, she's not. She likes to sing alone in the woods, which is a good thing, because her power surfaced today. She can destroy anything she's looking while she's singing. Her father doesn't know and I don't want to tell him. I don't know why but he doesn't like mutants. She'll be getting out of school in two or three days for the summer and I thought it would be best if she stayed with you until she learned how to control this. I believe you are the best person to help her and I know if you can't then you know someone who can. Look, come stay with us. I'll tell you more when you get here. Bye," her voice said on the machine.

"Sis, you really know how to turn a guys' world up side down. Looks like I better start packing. Shoot, what about the food I just bought? I know! There is a family who needs this food more then I do, I'll give it to them." he said as he started putting things back into their bags. He left a few things out for breakfast, but other then that everything was going to this family. He put the food into his car and drove to the family's house to give them the food. He rang the doorbell hoping someone was home.

"Can I help you, Logan?" the woman of the house said.

"Yes, you can help me get all this food inside because I'm going out of town tomorrow and I don't need it. I wondered what I was going to do with all this food then I remembered your family. I hope you don't mind." he said as he gave her some sacks to carry in.

"I don't mind at all. This food will give us several meals, thank you Logan. I didn't know what I was going to feed the children tonight. John will be home soon and will want a hot meal. This way I can feed my family for several days. It should hold us until he gets paid." she said happily.

"No problem, why don't you get some churches to help you out with food. Then you don't have to worry about what you are going to feed your husband and children. It would be better then some things I can name." Logan said as they finished carrying things in just as her husband pulled into the drive.

"Honey I'm home. What are you doing standing outside without your shoes on dear?" he asked as he got out of his car.

"Darling, Logan brought us some food to help hold us over until you get paid. He bought it for himself but he is going out of town tomorrow so he gave it to us." she said as she ran to his side.

"Thank you Logan. I don't know what we would do without your help. My wife and I can get the bills paid on time but we have trouble getting enough food to last from paycheck to paycheck. I wonder if there is any way to solve this problem?" he said as Logan got a thought full look on his face.

"You are good with your hands, are you not?" Logan asked, as the man looked puzzled.

"Yes, I'm very good with my hands. With the right type of wood I can make just about anything." he said as his face brightened.

"Well, I know of a church that needs a little bit of help with its woodwork. They will pay you very well for your work and I believe they will let you work in the evenings. I don't think they'll mind if you bring your family along." Logan said with a smile.

"Where is this church? I will talk to the church people about their woodwork." he said as a huge smile appeared on his face.

"Here, talk to them as soon as you can. They really need something done with their woodwork." Logan said as he handed him a piece of paper with an address on it.

"I will Logan. Thanks, you may have solved our food problem." he said as Logan got in his car.

"No problem, bye," Logan said as he drove off. He loved helping other people. Now he had to help his niece. He wondered what she was like.

"Catherine, I will drive you to school today. I need to tell your teachers you have a sore throat." her mother said as she came down the stairs.

She just nodded. She knew she might never be able to say another word for the rest of her life because of what happened. There was just no way to tell her mother.

Catherine's teacher's had no problem with what her mother told them. It really didn't matter with some of her teachers, like her first hour, second hour, and third hour. But her fourth hour had a problem, so did her fifth and sixth. They were temped to make her speak anyway but they didn't.

Her sixth hour teacher was her music teacher. He had hoped to hear her sing before the school year was out. He loved to hear her sing and her singing always put him in such a wonderful mood. There were times he wished the rest of her class would sound like she did when she sang alone. But they didn't and she had sore throat. For her class passed slowly, she wanted to sing but she didn't dare.

"Class; remember tomorrow is the last of school. Be good and try not to get into any trouble. Class is over for today." he said with a sigh.

Catherine left the room in a rush. She hoped her father would be the one picking her up. When she got to the front of the school her uncle was waiting for her.

"Hey Kitty Cat, want a ride home?" he asked with a smile. He knew she loved to ride in his car.

She just rushed to get her hug from him. Then she got into his car. She wondered if he would ever let her drive it.

"Let's go Kitty Cat. Your mom said you have two or three days of school left on my machine last night. So how many days do you have left?" he asked looking at her. She just held up a single finger. He nodded his head, wondering what her power was.

He drove her home quickly and soon he was pulling into her driveway. As soon as the car stopped she jumped out of the car and ran up the steps. She wanted to let her parents know her uncle was here.

"I know angel, your mother told me he was coming last night and he called earlier to let me know he was going to pick you up after school. I know how much you love his car so I said okay." her father said with a huge smile.

"So Kitty Cat, why don't you go on up stairs and check to make sure your things are ready for school tomorrow." her uncle said with a smile. He wanted to talk to her father alone.

Catherine just smiled and ran up stairs. She knew her uncle just wanted to talk to her father. She found her mother and pulled her to the top of the stairs so she could see her brother.

"Logan, I had no idea you were here. Catherine just pulled me to the top of the stairs. Why didn't you tell me?" she said with a smile.

"Sis, we have to tell him. He has every right to know. I would like to know if it was my child." Logan said calmly.

"I know, I just don't know how he will take it." she said softly.

"Look, I'm a mutant. I can heal faster then normal. This also means I will live longer. My sister and I always knew there was a chance her children would be like me, mutants. Your daughter is a mutant. I have no idea what she can do but I have a feeling whatever it is, is linked to her voice. She didn't say one thing to me in the car and normally she asks me more questions then I can answer." Logan said quickly. "My sister wants me to take care of Catherine until she can control her power. I believe this is the best thing for her and have agreed to do it."

"I just learned about your being a mutant last night and the fact is I don't hate your kind, I pity them. They are being treated worse then blacks were treated and some still are. I agree it is best for her to stay with you until her powers are under control. Her mother and I would like to visit her as often as possible and to write to her. I would like to know just what her power is however." he said as Logan nodded.

"Her power is tied into her voice just like you thought Logan. When she sings she can destroy anything she wants. She ran home close to tears yesterday when her power surfaced. The thing is she may never get to say another word again. Her power works with music and you know some of her words sound musical." her mother said softly. Her husband and Logan were shocked. Such a great power for such a wonderful creature, there was no way this was normal even for mutants. Logan didn't understand just how this sort of power just happened to be in a creature so sweet didn't make a great deal of sense.

"How can my daughter have that sort of power? It doesn't make a great deal of sense." he said softly. He was in shock.

"It might make sense in a few moments. Every single creature on this planet has a way of protecting itself. Those who are mutants have powers to protect them and your daughter's power is strange even among our kind. I believe your daughter will need this power later on in life for some strange reason. I hope I'm wrong, but somehow I have a feeling I'm not." Logan said unhappily. He didn't like the power his niece got.

"How long will you be staying, Logan?" his sister asked quickly.

"A few days, I don't think it would be wise to stay here for long once she gets out of school. The only way she can control her power is not to talk and it's not fair on her. We will stay for a few days then I'll take her up to my cabin. There is a nice little town near by where she can go to school. I can tell the people in charge there is a problem with her voice so she doesn't have to talk while she is in school. The kids may tease her about it, but at least the school will stay in one piece." Logan said with a slight frown. He would have to sell his house in the next town. He wouldn't be going back there again.

The next day passed quickly Catherine got through the day without anyone asking questions for which she had no answers. Her parents and uncle were talking about things like writing letters, addresses, schools, homes ect. it didn't make a great deal of sense to her. When she got home that day she went up to her room to start packing her stuff. Her uncle told her they were going to live in his cabin in the mountains.

She was going to a new school where no one knew her, so there would be less trouble for her while she learned how to control her power. She believed she would like her new home. There was a huge forest around it and she could enter the forest at any given time during the day. She would just have to let her uncle know. She hoped she would make new friends quickly and her uncle told her she could have a dog.

She would glad have a good friend to take on her walks through the forest around her uncle's cabin. She could just picture all the trees, animals, and plants she would see. A smile lit her face as she thought about the forest.

"Kitty Cat, time to eat." her uncle called up to her. He seemed to know she was thinking about something else.

She looked up at him, her checks tinged with pink because she had been caught thinking about things when she should be packing. She could get back to packing after she ate. Then again, she just might start thinking about the forest around her uncle's cabin again. When she got to the table her mother took one look at her and knew what she had been doing.

"Sweetheart, I know you can't wait to explore the forest around your uncle's cabin. But you can't do it if you don't get packed so why don't you try to keep your mind on packing and you can go to sleep thinking about the forest." her mother said with a smile.

"I don't think packing will be a problem. I'll help her pack her things. I would like to clear out of here in four days, if possible." Logan said with a smile at the look of pleasure on Catherine's face.

"I think I should help as well. With the three of us in there packing things should go pretty quickly. I don't think it will take long for us to pack once we get started. What we don't finish tonight, we can get tomorrow. Once we're done she can spend some time in the forest. You can leave the next day." he said without looking at his wife.

"Hon, there will be four of us in there just as soon as I finish the dishes. I believe we will get everything packed tonight." she said with a smile at the shocked look on her husband's face.

Catherine was pleased her parents were taking this well. She didn't know what she would do if they didn't. She didn't know if she could stay here and learn to control her power with people asking her to sing all the time.

Once dinner was finished, they went back upstairs to help her back. There was no way she would think about the forest around her uncle's cabin with all of them here with her. It didn't take long at all for them to get most of her things packed. Her parents and uncle agreed it would be best to get as much of her stuff to his cabin as quickly as possible. Most of what she was taking was clothing and bedding. She didn't have a great deal of stuff to put on walls or shelves.

The next day they learned Logan had a few things to do back at his house in the next town so he left. He wanted to put his house on the market so he could get rid of it. He knew of a family who would like it but he didn't know if they could afford it. He needed to talk to them.

After school the next day Catherine went into the forest so she could be alone. She would have liked to sing but didn't think she really should. So she sat under a big tree and let the day pass peacefully.

Her parents were talking when she got home. She really didn't want to know what they were talking about so she went up to her room and got her sketchpad out. She started making sketches of the forest and she didn't feel they were too bad. She was still sketching when her father called her for dinner.

"Angel, your mother and I were thinking about getting you some new pencils and sketchpads. We believe you will need them because of what happened. We know how much you need an outlet for your feelings. We were thinking about an instrument of some kind but we don't know about that any more. We don't know if your power would work through an instrument as well as your voice." her father said with a sad smile.

"So, would you like to try colored pencils sweetheart? I think they would help your drawings just a might. You know, give them a feeling of being real. Your father and I would like it if you would make us some sketches of the forest around Logan's cabin. Would you make us some sketches?" her mother asked with a bright look.

Catherine just nodded her head yes. She liked to draw but she liked singing more. She wondered if she would ever be able to sing again.

Logan was just driving into town he when turned his car towards the family's house. He knew they liked his home and he would sell it to them fairly cheap. He had paid off his house a long time ago so he didn't have to worry about the bank. Besides this would save them money in the long run. This way they would have more money for food.

"Logan, you're back in town. Please come in, my wife was just getting ready to start supper. Why don't you join us?" the man of the house asked happily.

"I would love to. Besides I think I know of another way to solve your food problem. But I need you to tell me just how much you are renting this place for?" Logan asked as he entered the house.

"Too much for the shape it's in, but it is the only thing we could get. We are paying $400 a month for it. We're looking for something cheaper but we have yet to find anything." he said sadly.

"I may have an answer to that. How do you feel about my place?" Logan asked kindly.

"We love your place. There is enough room for the children and us. Plus we could get the children a pet or two like we have been wanting to." he said with a huge smile.

"Well, for a thousand bucks you can buy my place and move in just as soon as I move out." Logan said with a smile at the look of shock on his face.

"Honey come here!" he shouted as the children stopped playing. They knew something was going down.

"What do you want, I was just getting ready to put dinner on the table?" she asked, more then a little shocked at the way her husband was acting.

"Logan is selling us his house for a thousand dollars." he said with a huge smile on his face.

"Really," she said in shock. This was not what she had thought her husband was going to tell her when he called her in here.

"Yes, really," he said in a state of shock himself.

"You would only have to pay me $200 a month until you get it paid off. I don't have any trouble with waiting for you to pay me a thousand dollars." Logan said with a smile. He was really helping his friends out this way. He wondered if there was a way for him to keep doing something like this all the time.

"Thank you Logan, you have really come through for us. We need to give our landlord two weeks notice but I believe we can do that with no problem." he said with a smile, thinking about the look of shock on the man's face when he learned they were getting a house to own.

"I do need to pack some things but I believe I can leave you most of the stuff in the house." Logan said with a smile.

"All we really have is our clothes and the kitchen stuff." she said as she looked at Logan's face.

"I don't need most of the stuff in the house. All I need to take is my clothes and a few things I value. The rest of the stuff you can have," Logan said with a smile.

Catherine was waiting for her uncle on the porch when he pulled into the driveway. She jumped up and ran to the edge of the driveway and waited for him to stop the car so she could run up to him. She wanted to leave for his cabin tomorrow.

"Don't worry we will leave for my cabin tomorrow. I don't have to get any thing for the cabin expect food. We can stop in town and get food. No problems so far and while we are there we can enroll you in the local school, I believe they are still going. We can tell them you are all ready out of school for the summer so I don't think we will have any trouble there." Logan said with a smile. He knew she couldn't wait to get to his cabin so she could start to learn to control her power.

"Logan, we're glad you're back. She has been waiting on the porch for you sense she woke up this morning. I think she was going stay out there until you drove up." her father said as Logan entered the house.

"Well, she knows she must leave town and so she is ready to go. I don't think there is any problem with that. She knows she needs to learn to control her power and I think she wants to do so where no one knows her." Logan said as he put his bag down.

"Well big brother, are you ready to handle a teenage girl all by yourself?" his sister asked with a smile on her face.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I think I will find a woman in town to help her through some things I can't do. This way she will have someone there when she needs them, be it a man or a woman." Logan said calmly. He really didn't foresee any problems. Little did he know she would want a boyfriend soon, and no one would want ask her out on a date. There was a problem in the making and he had no clue it was coming.

"Well Logan things are rarely so simple, so be careful. I know my little girl; soon she will be waiting something most girls have. I won't tell you want it is, you will learn soon enough." her father said as Logan looked puzzled.

Catherine was soon the center of attention as Logan saw most of her stuff at the foot of the stairs waiting to be put in his car. He had no problem with this and he wanted it out of the way. There was no way he was going to let his niece down if he could help it.

"I think we will leave in the morning." Logan said with a smile.

"Okay," her parents said as they grabbed Catherine's stuff and headed towards Logan's car with it.

"Logan, I have a wonderful meal for supper and you will be joining us. Don't even think about going out for a beer tonight or any night soon. Catherine will need you to be there for her while she learns to control her power. I should warn you she tends to sing in her sleep." her mother said calmly.

Logan had no trouble with this and so they sat down for dinner as a family for the last time in a long time. Catherine was more then ready to go to Logan's cabin and ate well for her age. Logan knew he would have to get used to this and had no problem with it. He liked the fact she ate well and didn't seem to pay much mind to what she was eating.

After they cleaned up the dishes everyone drifted off to do something for a while before going to bed. Catherine went up to her room to make more sketches, while her parents and Logan stayed downstairs to have a talk. Then everyone believed it was time for bed. Catherine was already asleep, having dozed off while she was drawing.

"I believe it would be best if we went to bed early tonight so we will be well rested for tomorrow's drive." Logan said as they got ready for bed.

"You might want to check on Catherine each night. She tends to doze off while she is drawing." her mother said as Logan went upstairs to check on his niece.

When he saw she was asleep at her desk he picked her up and placed her on her bed. He took off her shoes and covered her up with a light blanket. Then he turned out her light and closed the door. Logan saw her parents were on their way upstairs so they could go to bed.

"How is she?" her father asked softly.

"She is sound asleep. I found her asleep at her desk and put her to bed. How often does she fall asleep at her desk?" he asked wondering just how often she did this.

"I'm not sure, I don't check on her every night like I used too. You need to just to be on the safe side." her mother said softly.

"Good night Sis," Logan said softly as he turned into the guest bedroom.

AN: Okay people here is the first chapter of the story I started writing years ago. If I get a good response then I might put up more chapters. If not then I won't. Which means at lest ten reviews are needed. If anyone wants to be a beta for me then let me know in their review. Now remember more reviews mean a better chance for another chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle

Logan woke up with the sunrise, and was shocked to hear someone knocking on his door. He wondered who it was for a minute. He sat up slowly in bed, he knew who it was now.

Come in Kitty Cat, Logan said with a smile. He wondered if she would do this at the cabin.

Catherine opened the door slowly, not knowing if he was covered. She smiled when she saw he was and rushed in to jump on his bed. Logan just laughed.

Okay Kitty Cat, lets get dressed, grab something to eat, and get on the road. Logan said as she jumped up and raced out of his bedroom.

Logan got of bed wearing a pair of boxers. He got dressed and headed downstairs to make himself something to eat. He was shocked to see his sister and brother-in-law up so early.

I see she got you up as well. I suggest you get used to her waking you up every morning no matter what happened the night before. And if you dont get up when she wants you up then she jumps on your bed. his sister said as she sat a plate of pancakes in front of him. Logan was shocked when Catherine came in wearing a pair of jeans, which appeared to be several years old.

The color had faded badly so they were no longer a nice dark shade of blue. She was wearing a pair of lace up army boots which had been re-dyed blue. Her blue flannel shirt was hanging open to reveal a sports bra. Like the pants and boots the sports bra was blue, only a darker shade this time.

How old are her jeans? Logan asked quickly.

Several years at least, she likes her pants that way. Whenever someone buys her a new pair of jeans she wears them out as quickly as possible. I believe she feels they are more comfortable that way. Im afraid youll just have to get used to it. her father said sadly.

Catherine sat down at the table and started to eat her pancakes. Her mother wondered if Logan knew just what he was getting into. Catherine ate more then most people did.

Its good to see her eat so well, Logan said as his sister came into the room carrying a plate of pancakes and a black notebook. She sat the plate down in front of her daughter who had already finished off her first plate.

Here is the list of foods she will eat and the amount of the food she eats. her mother said as she handed her bother the black notebook.

Logan was shocked to see just how much of each type of food she ate. She should weigh more then she does. Her power must use a great deal of energy.

Catherine saw her mother hand her Uncle Logan the black notebook and hoped her uncle would buy her some strawberries. She liked strawberries but her mother didnt buy any for her for some strange reason. She didnt know why though.

They finished eating quickly and they headed towards his car. Catherine was glad her parents were taking this well because she didnt know what she would do if they didnt. She didnt know if she could handle staying here and learning to control her power with people asking her why she didnt sing anymore.

She got out her sketchpad and wrote something on it. She waited until they were well away from her parents place before she showed him what she wrote. She hoped he would buy her some strawberries.

So you would like some strawberries. They arent on the list for some reason but I see no reason you cant have them. When we buy food, well pick up strawberries as well, I promise. Logan said with a smile. He loved to see her smile and he liked strawberries too. He wondered why his sister didnt buy them for her.

They were on the road for several hours before they reached the town closest to Logans cabin. Logan knew they would have to wait before they bought food because there just wasnt enough room in the car for both the food and their stuff.

We need to leave our stuff at the cabin so we can get some food. Hope you can wait until we unload the car before we go get some strawberries. Just one thing you need to know about the strawberries. I dont care how many you eat but you must share them with me. I like strawberries too, Logan said with a smile at the pleased look on her face.

Catherine liked the look of the cabin in the setting sun and she knew she would have to draw it. She hoped her uncle didnt mind, but she needed some way to let herself tell others how she felt. Drawing was the only safe way now that her voice was a weapon, which could bring down buildings in a few notes.

It didnt take them long to unload the car and when Logan showed Catherine her room she was pleased enough to give him a hug. She loved the big windows and the desk setting right in front of them. She could draw at the desk during rainy days when she couldnt go outside.

Time to go shopping Kitty Cat, Logan called from the front of the house. He knew she wanted to get to the store because she was starting to get hungry. Logan was too for that matter.

They made it to the store in record time. It was a good thing because the store would close soon. They shopped for just a few things to tide them over until they could do more food shopping in the morning. When they got home Catherine went to her new room and starting drawing something for her uncle, while Logan went through the black notebook to see what he could cook for dinner.

He knew what he liked and he could tell from the notebook what foods she like best. He saw they both liked a lot of the same things. In fact they eat almost the same amount of food in a single setting. He threw something together he liked and hoped Catherine would as well, then he called her to dinner.

Kitty Cat, time to eat, he said on his way to her room. He opened the door and saw her bent over her desk drawing something. Kitty Cat, come eat.

Catherine jumped when he called her to dinner. She smelled something good to eat and hoped she liked what her uncle had cooked. When she got to the table she saw something she had never seen before.

Dont worry, it wont bite you. It does have a bit of an after bite but it only makes it better. It has hamburger meat in it, potatoes, baby carrots, cheese and a wonderful light sauce over it to make it taste better. Try some before you trash it, it tastes better then it looks. Logan said with a smile as she did just that. He could tell she liked it as well as he did when she finished off her plate quickly. He gave her seconds just before getting seconds himself.

They wished the dishes and cleaned the table then did something until bedtime. Catherine went back into her room to work on Logans picture. In the picture was Logan standing in front of his cabin with some animals standing near by. It was a picture, which showed how close both she and her uncle were to nature.

When Logan stopped by her room to check on her before making sure nothing was wrong outside he saw she was sleep at her desk again. He picked her up and put her to bed. Then he saw what she was drawing. A huge smile broke out on his face. Of all things for her to be doing, he hadnt thought a picture of him would be what she done first.

He tucked her into bed, turned off her light, and closed the door. He checked around the cabin to make sure no one he didnt trust was close by. After he went back inside, he closed and locked the door and checked to make sure the windows were closed.

* * * * *

He was just barely a wake when Catherine knocked on his door the next morning. She was hungry and really didnt have much of an idea about what to do in the kitchen. Besides she wanted her Uncle Logan to get out of bed.

Come on in Kitty Cat, he called as he sat up in bed.

He smiled as she slowly opened the door to make sure he was covered. Then she rushed in. She jumped on his bed and let him know she was hungry.

Okay Kitty Cat, lets get dressed, eat something, then go to town. Dont forget to take your sketchpad with you for when we stop by the school. I think it would be a great idea to enroll you in the art program and we could show the art teacher some of the things you have done over time. Logan said as she nodded and left his room so they could get dressed.

Breakfast didnt take long to make and he quickly learned she was basically helpless in a kitchen so he thought about teaching her. He would give her a few days to get settled in and then they would start working on learning to control her power.

When they left for town the sun was just starting to rise. Catherine had her sketchpad with her and since the only thing open this early was the school they stopped there first. They found the office without much trouble.

Can I help you sir? the woman behind the desk asked kindly.

Yes, I would like to enroll my niece in school for next year. Her old school has already let out for the summer and she has come to stay with me for a while. Logan said with a smile.

We will be getting out soon ourselves so no need to worry about that. Do you know what she took at her old school? the woman asked nicely.

We have the list right here. I would like to put her into an art class, drawing by choice. Can we do that or are your art classes full? Logan asked kindly. More then a little worried she would need art to help her get through this.

The only way she can get into an art class is if a teacher says he wants her in his class. Most art teachers dont like new students because they dont know them. If you have some of her work with her it will help. the woman said kindly. She really liked this man and his niece.

My niece has a problem with her voice so she wont be able to talk. Will this be a problem? Logan asked worried, he knew how kids could be.

I dont think so. If it does get to be a problem, Ill let you know. she said sweetly.

Catherine tugged at her uncles sleeve. She wanted him to know she liked this woman. She showed him what she wrote when he turned her way.

What is it Kitty Cat? he asked and then he saw her sketchpad. Okay, Ill ask her. Hey could you help me out in another way? Her mother cant be here for her and I told her parents I would find a woman in town to help me out. Catherine likes you and so do I, so will you be the woman she can turn to for female things?

I would love to help her out. Now lets get these forms filled out and you two really should go see the art teacher. Room 22, third floor, be careful and try not to get lost. the woman said with a smile.

They found Room 22 with no trouble. The art teacher looked like a kind man and they hoped he would be. They entered the room and went up to him.

Sir, I would like to enter my niece in your class, will you allow it? Logan asked nicely.

No, I have no more room for students. Leave me alone. the man said harshly.

We have some of her work with us and you dont have to be so mean. You might like her work if you took a look at it. Logan challenged.

Fine, the man said.

Catherine had some of her better pieces with her and when the man saw them his jaw dropped. This girl could go pro at this age and no one would fault her for such an act. She had real talent; he wondered where she had gone to school at before.

When does she enter my class? he asked quickly.

She will start school here next year. Logan said sharply. He was upset with the man for how he acted towards them earlier.

Can I work with her over the summer? he asked quickly. Her style was a little wild but time might get her to calm down.

I plan to work with her over the summer on something else and when Im not working with her I believe she will be spending most of her time in the forest. Logan said proudly.

I would like her to make several pictures a week and to choose the best one. I would like the best one of each week to be placed in a folder to be brought to school with her on the first day of school. he said with a sigh. He might not get to work with her but he could see how much she improved over the summer this way.

Fine, Logan said as they left the classroom. They went back to the office were the nice woman was.

Did she get in? she asked sweetly.

Yes she did. He wants her to make several new pictures a week and to choose her best one. He wants those pictures brought to school with her when it starts. So when does school start and what does she need for each class? Logan said with a smile. He knew he would have to buy her more sketchpads and pencils and who knew what else.

A backpack will come in handy, several notebooks, sketchpads for art class, pencils, pens, and whatever else the teacher wants. She should bringing a list home from school. she said kindly and she handed them a slip of paper with her address on it.

Thanks, Logan said as he took the piece of paper and left the office. They left the school in a rush. Dont want to be in there on a beautiful day like this either, uh. Well I dont blame you; I dont want to as well. Lets go shopping and get out of town.

They spent several hours shopping and spent a lot of money happily. Logan learned she liked sweet stuff as well as fruits and vegetables. This was a bit of a shock because he didnt care for some of the things she did. They had quite a few laughs and they made it home in one piece.

Once they had put up the food and Logan told her he was going to give her a few days to settle in before they started trying to control her power, she went out into the forest. She had a wonderful time looking around and spotting places she would come back to once she knew the forest better. She had no idea what time it was when her uncle Logan came up behind her.

Kitty Cat time to come on in. Its getting late and I dont want you to get lost in the woods in the dark. Logan said as they started back.

The next day Catherine entered the forest after breakfast with her sketchpad. She was drawing a rather beautiful area of the woods when a wolf passed through the area she was drawing. This wolf very lovely itself so she followed it to its den.

It turned out this wolf was female and she was pregnant. Catherine didnt think this was the normal time for a female wolf to be pregnant but she didnt know for sure. She would have to ask her uncle, he would know.

She watched the wolf for the rest of the day and drew several pictures of her as well. She was in the middle of drawing yet another picture of the wolf when her uncle found her. He saw what she was doing and let her draw in peace.

Kitty Cat time to come in. he said with a smile at the way she jumped. Have you been following this wolf around all day?

Catherine just nodded and wrote something on her sketchpad. He looked at it and was puzzled at the question. He didnt know how to answer this question at all.

Im not sure, the only way to be sure is check the books on wolves to be sure. Logan said as they entered the cabin. Dinner was on the table and he had a funny feeling she wanted to spend more time with the wolf.

From the looks of the pictures, this wolf was one of the most beautiful wolves in the wild to date. Then again it could be the way she drew her. Catherine used light and shadow in the best way possible to make the wolf look good.

What can you tell me about this wolf? he asked kindly.

She is pregnant, for one thing. She seems to be having trouble hunting for some reason. I dont think the blame lies with her hunting skills however. I think someone is trying to hunt the area clean. If so, they are doing a great job of it. Most of the wild animals have left the area. This wolf wont leave her territory while she can still hunt enough food for herself and her future pup. Someone needs to tell the mayor about this little problem. Catherine wrote quickly.

Ill do what I can. Logan said as he thought about the way the forest was. He had seen tracks of several hunters and not all of them were a week old. Catherine was right, someone was trying to hunt the area out.

Catherine helped her uncle clean up and went to her room to draw more pictures. She hoped her uncle was able to do something to help the wolf. She fell asleep over another picture of the wolf, however, this one would not be finished until she knew what the pup would look like.

Logan found her like that when he went to check on her. He didnt want to go to bed yet because he wanted to check the forest in the dark. He thought the hunters were hunting in the dark. Not the best of ideas but given the state of the forest, soon it would be nothing but a bunch of trees with very few birds.

He put her to bed and smiled at the picture she was drawing. It seemed to be empty until he realized she was waiting until the wolf gave birth before she finished it. She wanted the pup in the picture as well.

When he entered the forest he could hear several hunters moving around. It was clear something was wrong and he wanted to know what. He moved to where he could hear them without any trouble.

The mayor is still giving us trouble. The sooner these woods are empty the better off we will all be. one man said sharply.

There is the matter of the wolf. another man said quickly.

The wolf can be killed without any problems. The only thing we need to worry about is the mayor. a third man said. This man Logan knew was Matt Egg. Matt wanted to cut the woods down for money.

Where Matt was his two friends were close by, Dale White and Alex Brown. This was not good. The mayor would have to be told.

I have bad news. I thought I saw a girl in the woods. Unless I miss my guess she had a sketchpad with her. She might have drawn me in one of her pictures but I dont know for sure. The chances of the of the girl being a bad artist are fairly good but dont count on it. Dale said as the others drew in their breath.

Then Logan knew just how to save the woods without getting the mayors help. Catherine would just have to draw all three men in the forest at night. There would have to be several pictures but he didnt think she would mind because she would be able to help save the wolf.

He rushed back home to wake her up. Catherine didnt like getting woken up but when her uncle told her what he planed to do, she was more then willing to help. She knew her pictures would make the difference here. They would be just as good as their voices on tape.

Catherine was dressed in dark clothes in very little time. She grabbed her sketchpad and several pencils on her way out of her room. She was waiting for her uncle when he came back out of his room.

He smiled when he saw what she was wearing. Her dark clothes would make her hard to see so there was very little chance one of the hunters would hit her. She most likely planned on following them anyway.

Planning on following your prey? he asked quietly. She just nodded and smiled an evil smile.

They left the house and entered the forest quietly. Logan had trouble hearing her even though she was right behind him. He started to worry until he remembered she liked to spend time in forests. She had learned to walk quietly in order to get the animals to act normally while she was in the forest.

They found the hunters fairly quickly and Catherine started drawing what she saw. There was no way the hunters would be allowed to get away with this. Her pictures would keep them from harming the forest.

They followed the hunters for several hours and in those several hours she drew dozens of pictures. The hunters in the pictures were in several different area and times. Each time the picture was drawn was on the page.

They went home at dawn because they needed to spend some time sleeping. Logan wanted to help the wolf she saw even more now because there was very little in the forest in the way of food. They would have to bring the wolf food just to keep it alive.

* * * * *

Catherine was awake when Logan went into the kitchen. She was eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes and from the looks of it, this was not the first bowl. She cleaned up after herself better then anyone he had ever seen. He wondered if this was another trait she got from him.

I need the pictures you drew last night. I dont want to get you involved in this mess if I can avoid it. Logan said as she finished eating and got up to clean up her mess.

Catherine went and got the sketchpad full up of pictures of the hunters who were in the forest last night. She handed it to her uncle who saw the pictures were good enough to tell just where each one had been drawn. The time each picture was drawn was in the lower corner. There was no way the mayor would be able to ignore these pictures. The forest would be saved from people who wanted to harm it in some way.

Lets get dressed. I want to send these pictures to the mayor without him knowing who or why. The pictures will drive him up the wall because this is not hunting season of any type. I would also like a few pictures of the wolf you drew yesterday. Logan said as he started to work out what he wanted the note he would send with them to say.

Catherine came back with several pictures. Several of them showing the wolf in each area the hunters had been in. Some would even let the mayor know she was pregnant.

Good choice, no one wants to harm a mother of any sort. Logan said happily.

Catherine looked at what he was writing and tore out a page of another sketchpad. She wrote the note he wanted to send with the pictures. There was no way the mayor would know who had sent him the pictures and he would not see Catherines handwriting again unless something else needed to be fixed in the forest.

The mayor was furious when he got the pictures. He showed the police who put the hunters in jail for their crimes. Deer and other animals were brought in from other areas to restock the forest.

The wolf no longer needed help hunting so Logan and Catherine no longer gave her meat. They were both close by when the wolf went into labor. They had been working on controlling her power when she suddenly felt the need to go to the wolf. Logan didnt mind because they hadnt been making much headway. He had learned in order to stay safe he had to stand behind her.

Catherine was waiting quietly for the wolf to give birth. When the wolf came out of her den to show them her offspring she only came up once. There was only one pup. If there had been more, the rest had been lost when the hunters were trying to hunt the forest out.

They were pleased to see the pup was growing nicely. The mother let Catherine play with her pup all the time. In fact, Catherine watched the pup while the mother hunted.

Logan taught her how to cook all sorts of foods. Soon she was just as good as he was. Sometimes she would make breakfast for him before she woke him up.

They laughed, worked, and played all summer long. They hardly ever called on the woman from the office whom they later learned was named Mary. Soon the end of summer appeared.

Go spend the day in the forest. This will be your last day of freedom for a while so I want you to enjoy it. Logan said after breakfast.

Catherine smiled at him happily. She told him all about the things the wolf pup had done during the day and it felt like he was helping raise him as well. Then again that might be a good idea.

Catherine had a wonderful time because the mother played with her and the pup. It seemed hunting had been very good today because she was back early for once. But for some reason this worried Logan. When she told him the mother gave the pup a rabbit for dinner, he wasnt as worried.

Catherine woke him up in the morning just like she always did and he made her breakfast. He fixed her lunch for her to take to school since it would be cheaper to do so then to pay for school lunches which wouldnt full her up. He drove her to school and left her in Marys hands.

Mary showed her around school and where her classes would be and soon the first bell rang. Catherine went up to the teacher and showed him the note from Mary and her Uncle Logan telling him she had something wrong with her voice so she couldnt talk. Mary still didnt know she was a mutant and they didnt think it would be a good idea to tell her.

He nodded and put her in the front of the class. She went to her seat and was waiting for the bell to ring when another student came in. The student was a young lady with a bad attitude.

You are setting in my seat. Get out of it right now. the girl said rudely.

Catherine paid her no mind and worked on a drawing for her parents. Her parents loved the drawings she did of the forest around Logans cabin and the town. Now she was working on a drawing of her first hour classroom.

I told you to get out of my seat. the girl said as the teacher came in.

I gave her that seat and you will leave her alone. I will tell everyone who she is once class starts. he said kindly.

The second bell rang soon afterwards and the rest of the students rushed in. They didnt want to be late for class. It wouldnt look good to be late on the first day of school.

Class as you know it is a new school year and we have a new student as well. She will be setting in the same place all year because there is something wrong with her voice. I will need to be able to see her at all times so I can know if she has any questions. Any questions so far? he asked as the rude girl raised her hand in the air. Yes?

What is her name? she asked, snidely.

Her name is he said as he looked over at her and she just held up a slip of paper with her name on it, Catherine.

The class laughed and the day went down hill from there. Soon it was time for art class and the rude girl was in that class just like she had been in all the others. The art teacher had a surprise for the class.

Today class I would like to welcome a new student who shows more promise then anyone I have ever seen. Her name is Catherine and she has brought some of her work to share with us. he said as Catherine handed him the folder he wanted. She had forgotten to take out her uncles picture when she placed it in her backpack this morning.

Do we get to keep this one as well? he asked holding up the picture of her uncles cabin. The rude girl knew who the man in the picture was and where his cabin was. She just wondered why she had drawn him.

Catherine took her uncles picture from him and placed it in her sketchpad. She would give it to her uncle tonight when he picked her up. She just hoped class passed quickly and it did. Soon the last bell of the day was ringing and she rushed outside to find her uncle.

Hey Kitty Cat, over here, he called out and she rushed over to him. Guess where we are going?

Catherine held up a picture of some strawberries she made in art class. He just smiled and laughed. He could tell what she wanted easily, more strawberries.

So Catherine, how do you know Logan? the rude girl asked as she came up behind her.

He is my uncle; she wrote on a piece of paper and showed it to her.

How can he be your uncle when he has no family? she asked quickly thinking Catherine was lying.

She not lying. Her mother is my little sister. Dont think just because she doesnt talk she is stupid or I am for that matter. Go away and leave her alone. Logan told her quickly. He didnt like the way she was treating Catherine. He wondered just how long Catherine had put up with her today.

She is in all of my classes. Catherine wrote.

Wonderful. Well, lets think of better things, like strawberries. Logan said as they got in the car and headed towards the store.

They didnt take long in the store just picked up a few items they were low on. Once they got home Catherine rushed inside so she could put her backpack up and go into the forest. She wanted to be alone for a while.

Logan had no problem with this and saw no reason to stop her. He was glad he had let her go a little while later when the rude girls family showed up. He wondered why the mayor was here to see him.

Can I help you mayor? he asked politely.

Yes, you can turn the girl over to us right now. the mayor said quickly he didnt like this part of his job but he would do it.

Why do you want me to turn my niece over to you? Logan asked more then a little worried. He was glad Catherine was in the woods, if she saw these people she could hide until he found her.

Someone told me you were living with a minor and you know how we feel about things like that. the mayor said sharply.

I feel the same way. The truth is the girl you want to take out of my care is my niece. The only child of my sister who lives in another town and feels I can help her through something, which has changed her life. Logan said without telling them what had changed Catherines life.

Well, I hope you dont mind if we check out your story. the mayor said as Logan just looked thoughtful.

Tell you what, Ill give you my sisters name and address so you can talk to her. How does that sound? Logan asked quickly, knowing the mayor wanted to get away from the cabin.

Fine, Ill get back to you soon. the mayor said as he left with the information Logan had said he would give them.

Catherine showed up just as they were leaving carrying something in her arms. Logan waited until they were gone before he went to see what she had. She seemed worried about the people who were just there.

He knew why when he saw what she had in her arms. A wolf puppy would not have been welcome in the mayors eyes. Logan was glad the man was gone so he could get them up to the cabin and call the vet.

Logan had no trouble to get the vet to make a house call when he told her the case would be a change from what she saw day in and day out. The vet liked to help animals in the wild and while the wolf pup was no longer in the wild, it was still wild. The vet was at his cabin in no time and when she saw what Catherine was holding, she fell in love with him.

This wolf pup is too young to be away from his mother. Where did you find him? the vet asked softly, not wanting to scare the pup.

Catherine brought him home with her. I know she had been watching his mom over the summer and the mom let her get really close. Close enough to touch and look after her pup while she was gone. She might not have come back from hunting this time and Catherine took him in. Logan said even though he knew the truth was the mother had been killed earlier today. He had been looking for the pup but had been unable to find it. Catherine must have guessed what he was planning on doing when she saw what he was buying earlier.

Good thing, too. If his mothers gone then this little guy would have died. I think you should get the mayor to let you keep this wolf and let her raise him. It would be a good idea because this little guy looks on her as mother. the vet said kindly. She knew how Logan felt about the mayor.

Give me a few days to do it. Dont worry, Catherine will take good care of the little fellow. Now what types of foods are good for him at this stage in life? Logan asked as he showed the vet to the door.

When the vet left, he hunted up his niece. He found them playing on her bed. He left to go make dinner for the three of them now that he knew just what sort of foods the wolf could get at this point in time.

The rest of the week passed quickly, and the mayor called to say he was sorry. Logan planned on calling the mayor at home on the weekend so he could see just how happy his niece was with the wolf pup around. She was laughing most of the time and the two of them still woke him up in the morning.

When the mayor arrived at the cabin Logan invited him in. He went to let Catherine know the mayor was here and to ask her to bring the pup to the living room. The mayor was shocked to see a wolf pup follow the girl just like she was his mother.

Mayor, this is my niece Catherine, the one you tried to take away from me. She found this wolf pup alone in the woods when school started. She had watched him and his mother all summer long and when she didnt come back from hunting Catherine brought him home. I believe she should keep him and so does the vet. Logan said calmly as if he had a wolf pup in him home everyday.

I can see no problem with this as long as you keep him under control and have a collar put on him. Just remember if he becomes a problem you must put him down. the mayor said as he got up to leave. He saw no reason to stay now, there was nothing left for him to do until Monday.

Catherine named the wolf pup Hunter because he was always hunting up new ways of getting into trouble. Logan just smiled at his name and felt it fit him quite well. Catherine played with Hunter a great deal taking care of the loneliness she had been feeling.

Logan didnt know what to do with Hunter during the day while Catherine was at school so he took him with him. Hunter learned to track quicker then most wolves did, and he loved to track Catherine through the woods if she didnt take him with her when she left the cabin.

The weeks seemed to fly by and soon Catherine was bringing Logan home a poster which told everyone about a dance at school. He could tell she wanted to go and he felt it would be a good idea for her to go. However he didnt know about all the problems she had in school.

Catherine didnt have any friends in school because of Vicky. She had tried several times to make a few friends yet every time, something went wrong. She had no clue Vicky was making sure no one would be her friend.

Catherine had a huge crush on one of the kids in her math class. She thought he was one of the best looking boys she had ever seen. She was hoping he would ask her to the Halloween dance.

She didnt know he was planning on asking Vicky to the dance. Vicky had told him Catherine hated his guts and never wanted to see him. He had no idea Vicky had lied to him because she hated Catherines guts.

He tried to avoid Catherine as much as possible but he had no idea just how much he was hurting her. He had idea no she cared for him. He was killing what she felt for him with his coldness.

Logan knew something was wrong, he just didnt know what. He had no idea she had feelings for a boy at school who wouldnt even give her the time of day. He wanted to help but he didnt know how.

Catherine waited for him to ask her to the Halloween dance and when he didnt she made up her mind to ask him. She was under the stairs when she heard him ask Vicky to the Halloween dance. She nearly started crying.

She was in so much pain the rest of the day seemed to pass by slowly. Every time she saw Vicky she could have sworn she saw a smirk on her face. When she got home she went straight into the woods.

She felt like killing herself. But she didnt know how to go about it. She knew her power would be of no use in this area and for once she didnt feel as if she had to control it for any reason. The only reason she didnt use her power was because she wanted to save the forest.

Hunter followed her into the woods and tried to help her, but he didnt know what to do. He then went and got Logan, thinking he would be able to help her through this. As it turned out Logan was the only person who could help her through this.

Whats wrong Kitty Cat? he asked calmly. He didnt want her to kill herself for any reason at all unless it was a good one.

I have feelings for a boy at school but he wont even give me the time of day. I have tried to make friends at school but have failed again and again. Nothing I do seems to work. I want to go to the Halloween dance with this boy but he asked someone else instead. I just want to die. she cried.

Logan didnt know what to do about the problem of her lack of friends but he did have a way to cheer her up. It would make her happy as she could be in her current state. They would have her parents come for a visit.

Why dont we have your mom and dad come for a visit? You can show them the woods, they can meet Hunter, and you can show them around your school. What do you think, what to have them visit? he asked in a teasing voice.

That would be great. They would love it here. The sunsets, the forest, and the cabin. They would love Hunter. They have been asking me to send them a picture of him but I have never gotten around to it. This will let them see him in person. I like the idea Uncle Logan. When can they come? Catherine asked with a smile on her face.

Logan knew this was not the end of this problem, it was only the start. Like most girls she wanted a boyfriend, her only problem was not shyness but someone at school. Logan knew he would have to do something to solve her problem but he didnt know what.

The next few weeks before the Halloween dance passed in a rush of activity at home and at school. The dance committee had asked Catherine to decorate the gym for the dance. They had liked her idea of using forest scenes for a since of reality.

Catherine carefully drew and painted several places in the forest most people never saw. She loved to go to these places and thought she would share them for just one night. She told the committee to choice one of these places and the committee told her to use them all. One place was perfect for pictures so it would be used where the pictures where being taken. Another place was perfect for the main part of the gym where the dancing would take place. The doorway to the girls bathroom would be masked by another part of the forest which was great for hiding things. Another part would hide the doorway to the boys bathroom.

When the night of the Halloween dance arrived the students could not believe what they were seeing. The gym looked like a forest, it was so real it took them a while to see it was still their gym. No one could believe one person had this much talent.

Welcome everyone to the Halloween dance. I hope everyone likes the decor and hope they have a wonderful time. The person who did this would like to remain nameless so we wont tell you, but do try to have a good time. The pictures are being taken in another part of the gym. the head of the dance committee said with a smile. She had wanted Catherine to make this speech but knew she couldnt. She had also wanted to name Catherine as the person who designed the scenes for the gym, but Catherine had asked her not too.

As it turned out everyone loved the way the gym had been done up. Pictures of the gym and couples sold like hotcakes. Everyone wanted at least one. Even the people who hadnt gone wanted pictures. Because the school made so much money from the pictures and tickets, they thought about holding another dance sooner then planned at the start of the school year.

Because of this everyone wanted to know who the artist was and no one had any ideas. Everyone who was in art class was questioned, everyone but Catherine. No one knew just how good Catherine really was. Vicky hide this little fact very well. She wanted everyone to think she was the best artist in school but the teacher, Catherine, and Vicky herself knew better.

Catherine was the finest artist the school had ever seen and there was no way the teacher was going to tell everyone the person who painted the scenes everyone saw in the gym during the Halloween dance unless she let him know it was alright for him to spill the beans. He had learned more about Catherine then anyone else in the town. He knew what Catherine was.

Logan had a feeling the art teacher knew just what Catherine was, but he didnt know why he didnt say anything. When it came to the art teacher Logan didnt know where the man stood. He knew more then he let on but he told no one. It just didnt make a great deal of since.

No one in town knew what to make of Logan and Catherine. They were fine people and they didnt break any laws. No one had anything to say against them except Vicky and the only reason she had anything to say was she didnt like Catherine. If someone asked them what Logan and Catherine were like they would have said Quite, they dont break any laws. There really isnt a great deal you can say about them. No one knows very much.

It was two days before Thanksgiving Break when something horrible happened in town. No one knew just what had happened and it was almost like no one cared. The truth was everyone was in shock except for Logan and Catherine. They had a feeling something like this would happen and they were waiting in the woods for whoever caused this little problem.

They didnt have long to wait. A young pair of mutants ran right by them, then they stopped and turned to look at them. Catherine drew their eyes right away but their eyes stayed on Logan. He looked very dangerous in his current mood.

You never should have done what you did. We might not know what you did, but you have to face the music sooner or later. Logan said with a heavy look on his face.

Look man, all we did was run away from our foster parents. They hate us and they dont even know were mutants. How do you think theyll react when they learn we are mutants? the boy said with a sad look on his face.

Look, my niece and I know what you are going through but this is not the way to handle it. Your powers are nothing to be ashamed of. Yes they can be dangerous but if you use them in the right way during the right times, then they can be used for good. My niece is still trying to learn to control her power enough so she can speak out loud. Do you have any idea just how hard it is for her? She loves to sing but her power is tied into her voice. When she sings she destroys things. She hates it, but she knows she must learn to control her power. She also knows she may never be able to speak again for the rest of her life. Logan said with a very sad sigh.

Why did she get such a power? the girl asked calmly.

We dont know, what we do know is we need to get you back to your foster parents. By the way what are your powers? Logan asked as they walked out of the forest.

When I scream things twist out of shape. For some reason plants seem to thrive around me. the girl said with a slight smile.

My power is a little more simple. I can make any plant do what I want it to do. My power doesnt work on my sister and her power doesnt work on me, but we dont mind. the boy said carefully.

You both need to learn to control your powers. I know it will be hard but whenever you get down in the dumps think of all the people you can help and think of my niece, Catherine, who may never say another word for the rest of her life. Logan said as the young mutants looked at Catherine in wonder.

They didnt know how she stood not being able to say anything because of her power. It was clear no one in town knew she was a mutant like her uncle or they would have been chased out of town long before this. For some reason the people in this town didnt like mutants very much. They chased the last bunch out very quickly as soon as they knew they were mutants.

Look you cant tell anyone youre mutants. They chased the last bunch out in under one hour after they learned the truth. For some reason mutants are not well like in this town and we dont want to stay around to find out why. the boy said as Logan pulled up short.

Are you telling me that my niece and I are in danger of being run out of town simply because we are mutants? Logan asked in a strange voice.

Im afraid so. Ask anyone in town about the Cats. They will tell you what they did with pride. the girl said as Logan got a thoughtful look on his face.

Ill ask the next townsperson I see and if they tell me they ran a bunch of mutants out of town, then Ill make a few calls and send you someplace where youll be safe from people like these. Logan said calmly.

It wont do you any good. No one will tell you anything if they know you are a mutant. the boy said sadly.

Well I guess its a good thing no one knows my niece and I are mutants, then. The only trouble my niece has is at school and with her power. I dont think people will care a great deal if I start asking questions. Not if I ask them the right way. Logan said with a sly smile.

What do you plan to do Uncle Logan? Is there anyway I can help? Catherine wrote.

You can help by watching people around town a little more closely for a while. No one notices you and I dont think they would mind too much if you had your sketch pad with you at the time they caught you watching them. Logan said with a tricky smile.

I know what you mean. I have several pictures of the townspeople and every time they look at me, its like they see something they dont like. I am starting to think a few people know more then they should know. There have even been times when Mary has started to tell me something and changed her mind mid-thought. I never understood why until now. I think Mary is thinking about telling me about how the townspeople feel about mutants. Catherine wrote quickly.

You could be on to something. Work on Mary. I believe you can get her to spill the beans faster then anyone else can. Logan said with a lighter heart. They had a plan and they knew what must be done. Now all that remained was setting it into action.

It took several days but Logan did learn the truth about the Cats and how the townspeople felt about mutants. It turned out the Cats were just a little bit different, not mutants at all, yet the townspeople run them out of town because they thought the Cats were mutants. This was not a good sign in Logans eyes. There were many mutants who looked human and many who didnt. Not all mutants have power, but some do. Yet these townspeople believe if you were not human then you didnt belong in their town.

It was becoming very clear to Logan the children would have to leave. It was also becoming clear he could not teach Catherine the control she needed to learn. He would have to call in some help. However they could not stay in this place much longer. People would figure out they were mutants and run them out of town.

Catherine had no luck with Mary but she did learn something very strange. Every week on Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. everyone left town. She followed them one week with her uncle, they needed to know what was going on. Their lives may have depended on it.

It turned out to be a meeting of a strange group they had never heard of. Everyone in town was a member and they all had a strange symbol on the back of their shoulder blades. The symbol was a cross between a Celtic symbol and the cross. It was something Catherine had never seen before, so she made a drawing of it to study later.

The meeting was very simple. The townspeople talked about what to do to mutants who lived in their town. The ways to treat them ran from taunting, teasing, and not giving them a job to death. Not a pleasant idea to be sure. Logan now knew for a fact he had to take Catherine and leave this place. They would kill her if they knew she was a mutant with incredible power.

They left before the meeting was over and they got home Logan made a few calls. First he called a couple he knew who might take the children in. He told them what the children were and how much danger they were in. The couple told Logan they would take the children in and give them a normal life as much as possible.

The he called Social Services and told them about the problems the children faced where they were. He told them about a couple who would take the children in and raise them right. They agreed and told Logan they could come pick the children up in a few days time.

Then he called an old friend of his. He told this friend about his niece and her power. The friend didnt believe what Logan was telling and Logan told him it would be easy to prove. He would have to come during Christmas Break because he was not going to interrupt her studies any more then necessary. The friend agreed and told Logan when he would be out.

Catherine had only two weeks of school left when the children they saved where taken away to a new home. She was doing as well as could be expected when she showed her uncle the symbol she had drawn. She had no idea he would react the way he did when he saw the symbol.

Where did you see this symbol? he asked loudly.

At the meeting. It was on everyones shoulder blades. I had never seen it before so I made a copy of it. Why are you upset? Catherine asked.

This is the symbol of a group who hates mutants with a passion. Many mutants have died at the hands of this group. I need to know how many people had this symbol on their shoulder blades. he said carefully. Their lives depended on this knowledge. They would have to be a great deal more careful now.

Every adult in the town and many of the students in my school. she wrote quickly.

If this group learns we are mutants then you can kiss your life good bye. They will never allow us to live. We might put their lives in danger with what we know. At least thats what theyll tell themselves while they kill us. Logan said softly.

Catherine was no fool. She knew when to keep her mouth shut and she did. Her power might not be under control, but she did value her life.

It was during school hours when she learned something she didnt want to know. It seemed Vicky thought she could sing and thought everyone would like a song before they went back to class. Vicky simply could not sing and didnt seem to care. Catherine was temped to leave school grounds but she didnt want in trouble. So she stayed and tried to find a place to hide where she would be able to hear the bell yet not hear her. It didnt work, so finally when Vicky stopped singing she noticed how Catherine was acting.

I suppose you can do better? she asked rudely. Just like she always did.

Catherine just nodded because she could do everything better then Vicky ever could. Catherine knew just what Vicky would do if she sang but she wanted to sing so badly. It had been such a long time since she sang anyway. Her uncle was trying to find a way for her to speak without using her power; he was having no luck so far.

Prove it, Vicky said as Catherine nodded her head no. She didnt want to destroy the school because of this girl.

School would soon be out for Christmas break and Vicky knew it what she didnt know was Catherine was planning on singing in a meadow not far from school. Her uncle knew about this and warned her to be careful and to keep Hunter with her. She had no clue Vicky would follow her so she could learn the truth about this girl.

When school ended that day with the teachers warnings to behave themselves over Christmas break, everyone left. Logan came and drove her home even though he knew she would be going right back out again. She did pick up Hunter and a coat heavy enough to keep her warm while she sang.

It didnt take them long to reach the meadow where she planned to sing. She had no idea people were hidden behind the trees wondering just what she was doing out here. She found a rock to set on while she sang and settled down.

Are you ready to hear something wonderful Hunter? Catherine asked her wolf shocking everyone in the trees. They thought something was wrong with her voice but it didnt sound like it. When she started to sing they felt the ground move beneath their feet for some strange reason.

When she started to sing they were shocked. Vicky was more shocked then the rest of them. Catherine could really sing, in fact within the first few notes most people were beyond care. Vicky wondered why Catherine was hiding this talent of hers. She decided to throw a rock in front of her to see what would happen.

As soon as the rock was in front of Catherine it burst into pieces. The same thing happened with every rock she threw. She then knew Catherine was a mutant, she was one of those freaks you heard about on the news. She was going to tell everyone in town just what Catherine was. Then Catherines Uncle Logan came up behind her. He was acting like he knew what was going on.

Catherine, I need to talk to you. Logan said as Catherine slowly stopped singing. She didnt often get a chance to sing because of her power.

I cant help you learn to control your power. I might have mine under control but only because it is a healing power meant for me alone. I have called a friend of mine and we are going to live with him and others like you. Now you can have friends youre age and not just Hunter. My friend even said we could bring Hunter with us. How does it sound? Logan asked because he knew she had been lonely with no one but Hunter and himself to be with. Catherine needed to be with people and thanks to one girl at school she had no one.

I think it is wonderful Uncle Logan. When do we leave? she asked facing forwards to spare her uncle the full force of her power.

They will pick us up in a few days, so we need to get home and start packing our stuff. Logan said with a sigh at the thought of packing up again.

I know how you feel Uncle Logan, I dont want to pack up again but we must if Im ever to learn to control my power. Catherine said with a very heavy sigh.

Hunter didnt know what was going on but he knew something was. Catherine walked back to the cabin with her uncle and Hunter stayed near her at all times. They worked quickly for the next few days and knew things would never be the same again. Hunter would have to have a special dog tag signed by some high-ranking official and they really didnt like many high ranking officials.

Logans friend had brought others like Catherine with him and he knew things would not be easy. When he saw Catherine he didnt know what to think. Catherine was a very lovely young lady and she was kind and gentle as well.

Well, Logan so this is your niece. I must say she is very lovely but what is her power? he asked not knowing what to expect.

Her power is linked to her voice in a strange way. Because of her power doesnt dare to speak unless she knows people are behind her not in front. Logan said shocking his friend. Most young people with special abilities didnt have that sort of problem.

Logan, would your niece show us her power? a woman standing behind Logans friend asked quickly. She wanted to know just what sort of power this young woman had and why she couldnt speak because of it.

Everyone gather around me. As you can see Im behind her and to the side. It should be safe here in the meadow for her to show you her power but I would like three people to throw three different things in front of her. Ororo would you throw a rock? Logan asked as she nodded and two others got a piece of steel ready to throw and a piece of wood.

Logan knew Catherine would have no trouble singing for these people he just hoped her power would reach not them from where they stood. He had no idea just how her power work or if it could go behind her to reach something. This would tell him the answers to some of his questions.

Catherine warmed up quickly and soon was singing a lovely song. Logan nodded and the piece of steel was thrown in front of her. The steel didnt last long however as it was quickly broken into several smaller pieces again and again. The same thing happened to the rock and the piece of wood.

His friend was shocked, this young lady had a very powerful weapon in the form of her voice and she had no control over it at all. He could tell she was born to sing and because of it, some of her words more then likely sounded musical when spoken. Her power worked through her voice and because of it she knew she had to stay quiet to protect others. She needed to be with them and he planned on making her a member the little team he was putting together.

Logan, put your stuff in the Blackbird. You two are coming back with us. We need to make something to allow her to speak yet it must look like a heavy gold or silver necklace. his friend said as Logan picked up some of their stuff. Catherine got the rest of it and followed her uncle onto the plane. Hunter followed close to Catherines heals. No one knew just what to do with Hunter so they left him alone.

The young man wearing the visor-like eyepiece was the pilot and quickly got them home. They had no idea what was waiting for them when they got back home. They only wanted to get their new member settled in.

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AN: You did a good job people. So your reward is another chapter. Now I still have plenty written so dont think the story ends here. If you want to read more then you know the deal. The more reviews the better the chances are for another chapter.


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